On behalf of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests I
am writing to welcome you to your new assignment in the Diocese
of Camden. We are familiar with some of the steps you have taken
in the Diocese of Dallas regarding clergy sexual abuse during your
tenure there, particularly the instance in which you were compelled
to publicly challenge Bishop Grahmann about his handling of a case
against a Dallas cleric. This was an illustration of fraternal
correction which has been lacking through the course of the
clergy abuse crisis throughout the church.

As you may know there have been published reports over the years
that the first act in office for some new bishops has been to destroy
personnel files for all of the diocesan clergy. As you begin a new
era in the Diocese of Camden, one of the more notorious dioceses
in the country for the sexual abuse of children by priests, we urge
you to do the exact opposite. We ask that you commit today to real
transparency and openness in your new diocese by making your first
official acts in office as follows:

Identify all credibly accused perpetrators as recently reported
to John Jay College.
Disclose the personnel files of all credibly accused perpetrators,
including the files in the secret archives of your predecessors.

Meet with clergy abuse survivors and SNAP leaders to learn firsthand
about the record of abuse in your new diocese.

Join clergy abuse survivors in a public forum to address with us
the clergy abuse issue, and to establish collaborative efforts with
SNAP to prevent further abuse in the diocese and to encourage reporting
by victims who remain silent.

We welcome a response from you on our requests, and hope you will
accept our offer to work together to prevent child molestation by
priests under your watch and to fully disclose the record of abuse
in your new diocese.